The Cirque de Vissec and the Mills of La Foux

Date of your route : Jul 07, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A superb hike that allows you to see everything: heights, plains, forests, rivers, waterfalls, animals... I had a wonderful time doing it, with beautiful places to take short breaks and no difficulty at all (the hike took me about 5 hours). I just had a little hiccup at the start (probably because it was pitch black) and missed the left turn above the Pic des Fourches (but I easily realised my mistake after a few metres).

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Date of your route : Jun 25, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

We couldn't finish the hike. There were four of us, but unfortunately one person sprained their ankle, so we had to turn back with all our gear... But we plan to go back in September.

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Date of your route : Jun 12, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful walk.
I took my walking sticks with me and found them cumbersome at first, but I ended up really appreciating them on the descent to Vissec after the cairns.

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Date of your route : Jun 09, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

At the risk of disappointing many people, I didn't find this hike exceptional.
Located almost 300 km from my base camp, we decided to do the 17 km hike. In the end, we did 19 km, after wandering here and there.

Pros:
The layout of the site
The flowers, which were everywhere, especially broom and honeysuckle.
The scents that accompanied us throughout the outing.
AND, the Moulins de la Foux, which I would give a perfect 20/20.

Cons:
Monotonous landscapes
The cliffs, which were difficult to see due to the abundant vegetation.
The ageing signs on the botanical trail: lots of vegetation, which has also grown well since the signs were put up, so you really have to look for the flowers/plants that correspond to the descriptions.

In summary, this version of the hike is very long. It's nice at the start in St Maurice, but as soon as you hit the road, and then the loooong path that leads to Vissec, passing through the plateau, it's very monotonous, to be honest. So, yes, you do get a view of the Cirque, but after a while it gets boring.

The botanical trail keeps you occupied until you reach Les Moulins.
And luckily, the Moulins site saves the day. It's really beautiful. For those who live in the area, it's worth taking the shortest route to see it.

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Date of your route : May 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very nice hike!

It's challenging at the beginning but mostly flat for the rest of the route.
You need to pay more attention when leaving Vissec.

There are herds of cattle with patou (a type of sheep) and a botanical trail on the last part of the route.

It was very enjoyable

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Date of your route : Apr 14, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful hike with breathtaking scenery
Moderate difficulty due to its length
Be careful, it's not easy to find the path down to Vissec

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Date of your route : Jun 18, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

insufficient description before the descent to Les Foux, otherwise a very beautiful walk with stunning panoramic views.

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Date of your route : May 19, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

The Navacelles/Vissec cirque via the mills of Le Foux.

The road leading to the village of Navacelles winds along the mountainside and offers exceptional views, provided you don't suffer from vertigo. It ends in this picturesque hamlet, which is entirely paved with stones. Here, the riverbed transforms into a majestic and noisy waterfall. A delightful little medieval stone bridge takes us to the other side, where the most technical part of the day awaits us. Most of the climb is over 1.5 km on a path covered with stones that roll underfoot and wind up in tight hairpin bends. As we climb, the village shrinks, the valley opens up and justifies its name of "cirque" (cirque d'Aubrac) with the elliptical shapes of its walls.
A short stretch of paved road leads us to a partially shaded national forest, which we cross via a gently sloping trail. The scent of broom, thyme and heather heightens our senses. A mistake on the Causse trail led us to discover a grassy promontory overlooking the Vissec cirque.
The descent is via a narrow stony path, for which good walking boots are recommended.
The village of Vissec is quickly crossed and leads to another road before descending to the mills of La Foux via a pleasant botanical trail that brings us back to civilisation..
The site is marked by the turbulent waters of the Vis, which reappears here like a jewel set in a case of deafening waterfalls. But it also pays the price for its success with mass tourism..
The return to Navacelle follows the stream as it widens into a river. The path, which is quite steep in places, is completely shaded and cool throughout.

The route is stony, arid and desert-like in its first part and shaded along the river in its second part, with many walkers..
18 km / 600 m elevation gain / 5.5 hours with lunch breaks and photos.

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Date of your route : Apr 17, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful hike
the first part of the hike is uphill but pleasant, with splendid views. The section on the limestone plateau is a little less enjoyable due to the wind. We had lunch in Vissec, taking advantage of the picnic area. The second part of the hike is simply magnificent: the botanical trail, the resurgence of the Vis river, the return along the river... everything is superb

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Date of your route : Mar 06, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Magnificent hike! No major difficulties: the climb from the Cirque de Navacelle is easy. The descent to Vissec is a little harder! We started the hike in Vissec: a beautiful little village with a very natural and pleasant welcome area for hikers (with water and toilets). There were a few people there between 7 and 8 a.m. We had a picnic at the Moulin de la Foux! A magnificent site! The Cirque de Navacelle is spectacular...

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Date of your route : Nov 11, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A magnificent hike under beautiful autumn sunshine, followed by a route tracked on the GPS app.

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Date of your route : Sep 11, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

It's difficult to find your way around in the village halfway through the route.
The elevation and distance are not good.

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Date of your route : Jul 10, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

beautiful climb at the start
don't be fooled by the photos of the FOUX mill, nature has reclaimed its rights
hike with lots of large rocks on the descent towards Vissac (slippery, high walking shoes recommended)
At the point (2), it says to take the path on the left, but it is actually on the right (wooden barrier). The end of the trail in the woods along the VIS is pleasant.

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Thank you for your reply. We hope to be able to do it in September. 👍🏼

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I'm sorry to hear about your misadventure.
This hike was suggested and published in 2015, in a summary form with poor formatting.
We will inform the author and rewrite it.

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